Convertible luggage rack and bench



Sept. 12, 1933. R. H. REISS CONVERTIBLE LUGGAGE RACK AND BENCH FiledSept. 20, 1932 FIG].

INVENTOR RAYMOND H. R5155 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 12 1933 U 3 I '1,e26,s59 f v V CONVERTIBLE LUGGAGE RACK-'AND-BENOH 4 Raymond H. Reiss,Deal, N. J.', assignor to North- 7 ern Furniture Company, Sheboygan,Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin. 1 1

Application September 20, 1932 Serial No. 633,933

1 Claim.

'I'hisinvention relates broadly to furniture and more specifically to acombined seat or bench and a luggage rack. I

Luggage racks have heretofore been proposed consisting of strips offabric extending transversely between side frame members mounted uponlegs which are pivoted to one another in the form of an X and capable offolding together. In hotel bedrooms, for instance, such luggage 519racks frequently stand at. the foot of a bed and luggage carelesslyplaced thereon or handled often mars the foot board of the bed. Oneobject of the invention is ,a luggage rack having a portion which, whenthe rack is occupied, will protect a pieceof furniture next to which therack stands.

Another object .of the invention is a luggage rack which is alsocapableof use as a bench or seat.

:1 9 It is also an object of the invention to provide a convertibleluggage rack and bench or seat in' parent from the following detaileddescription 7 taken connection withthe accompanying drawing,illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, and, inwhich:

combined seat and luggage rack when in use as abench. a I

Figure 2 shows the luggage rack with the seat raised to protect aneighboring piece of furniture.

Figure 3 is a view in section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, lookinginthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detail view in section, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The invention is shown as comprising four relatively fixed legs 2, oneat each corner, fixed to longitudinally and transversely extending framemembers 4 and 6, respectively, the top of the frame member and the topof the legs lying in the same horizontal plane andthe legs being bracedin suitable fashion, as, for instance, at 8.

Extending between the longitudinal frame members 4 and with their uppersurfaces 9 in the plane of the top edge thereof, are slats Figure 1 is aView, in perspective,'showing the- .cover on the frame should it beallowed to fall. a

preferably of wood, shown as oval in cross-section in Figure 4, on whichthe luggage rests. To the uppersurface 9 of these slats 10 are securedstrips or facings1'2 of wear resistant material, such as iron .or steelbarsor plates somewhat U shorter than the slats and secured thereto. inany desirable manner as by the countersunk screws 14. The surfaces ofthe ends of the wearing strips 12 maybe curved downwardly or bevelled asat 15 so thatno sharp edges may be presented to .65 the luggage as it isplaced thereon whichwould damage the same.

The wear resistant supporting surface of this; article of furniture,therefor, lies above the surface of the wooden frameand the frame isthus protected against damage bya piece of luggage placed thereon. 1

Covering or overlying the luggage supporting surface of the rack is acover orseat 16 which when down, as shown in Figures. 1 and 3 serves asa seat and transforms the baggage rack into a bench. When open as showninFigure 2, the cover 16 may rest against the foot of a bed or otherpiece of furniture and protect the same against damage by a piece ofluggage resting on the luggage supporting surface or surfaces 12.

Such seat 16 may be either plain wood or other.

substance or it may be upholstered, as desired.

' The cover 16 .is conveniently secured, as by hinges 17, to the frameof the luggage rack along one of its longer sides whereby it may bemoved through an angle in excess of aboutits line of pivot. As shown thehinges are secured to the upper ends of the legs 2, thus spacing thecover. from the frame and affording space above the upper surface of theframe for the wear resistant strips 12. Along the side opposite to thehinges, the cover 16 is conveniently provided therebeneath with buffersor buttons 18 of yielding nonmetallic material, such as rubber, whichnot only supports the cover in spaced relation from the frame and insubstantial parallel relationship thereto but cushions the shock of theIt will thus be seen that an extremely practi-, cal luggage rack hasbeen provided which is sturdy and durable and offers protection toneighboring furniture. At the same time, when not in use, as a luggagesupport, the luggage rack may afford a sightly appearance and serve as a9 bench.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in thecomposition, disposition and configuration of the component elementsgoing to no make up the invention as a whole and no limitation isintended by the phraseology of the foregoing description orillustrations in the accompanying drawing except as indicated in theappended claim.

What is claimed isto A convertible luggage rack andlbench comprising; incombination, legs, a frame carried thereby comprising longitudinal andtransverse members, slats extending between the longitudinal framemembers, facing strips of wear'resistant material secured to the uppersurfaces of their respective slats forming a luggage supporting surfaceabove the horizontal plane of the top of said frame members, slats andlegs, a cover of the same size and shape as the frame, hinge meanssecuring an edge of the cover to the frame whereby said cover may rotatethrough an angle of at least and buttons of yielding nonmetallicmaterialsecured to the lower surface of the cover which together with the hingessupport said cover in spaced relationship to the frame to present theappearance of a bench.

RAYMOND H. REIss.

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